Eschewing Myopic Attitude Towards Eye Health

Direct costs of myopia in Asia alone have been estimated at $328 billion every year, with an additional $244 billion in productivity losses associated with myopia.

- Dr Manbeena Chawla

In many East Asian countries, myopia is a major public health concern that affects between 80 and 90 per cent of high school graduates, of which about 10 to 20 per cent have sight-threatening pathologic myopia. Thus, early intervention is crucial in the control of myopia and the onus is to be equally distributed between the stakeholders of the eye healthcare ecosystem. Studie have shown that the increased intensity of educational pressures in young children has coincided with the rapid rise in myopia cases in Asian countries in recent decades. Let's explore the available early interventions that could effectively tackle the rising incidents of myopia, especially in the young.

Uncorrected myopia remains the leading cause of distance vision impairment globally, and its rising prevalence could cost billions of dollars in lost productivity in the coming decades. A hallmark study by the Brien Holden Vision Institute (BHVI) in Australia predicts that by 2050, over half the world's population or 52 per cent will be myopic.

Direct costs of myopia in Asia alone have been estimated at $328 billion every year, with an additional $244 billion in productivity losses associated with myopia.

Studies have shown the increased intensity of educational pressures in young children has coincided with the rapid rise in myopia cases in Asian countries in recent decades. In many East Asian countries, myopia is a major public health concern that affects between 80 and 90 per cent of high school graduates, of which about 10 to 20 per cent have sight-threatening pathologic myopia.

In particular, with quarantine practices in place during the onset of COVID-19 and children attending online classes over electronic devices, the rise in myopia has been sharp. According to a recent study, more children have developed myopia as an unexpected side-effect of the pandemic.